Page 15 of Out of Office Nights
He frowned, then waved the driver away from the door. He saw her into the limo, lounging with one hand over the open door, the regal epitome of a man confident and content in hisskin and with his world. Then he lobbed another twisted smile her way. ‘Looking for another reason to flee back behind your wall of ice?’ he asked, evading her question.
‘I don’t need to. Everything about you makes me glad I’m not foolish enough to find you remotely attractive.’
That grave look returned then was instantly replaced by a sardonic laugh. Lower. Deeper. Setting off unwanted fireworks within erotic parts of her body. ‘You were right to stay away from me,belleza. Because now I see why you fight so hard to keep that wall all the way up.’
Strains of ominous music started at the back of her brain. ‘I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about,’ she replied with more heat than she wanted, further revealing his infuriating effect on her.
His hand came up, slowly. So mesmerically, she wasn’t sure whether to stare into his unbelievably sexy face or watch that hand drawing ever closer to her cheek. ‘You’re absolutely terrified, aren’t you?’ he murmured.
A wild dip in her belly blared danger as the tune’s tempo ramped up. If this was a movie, she would’ve been screaming at the hapless victim to run. But this wasn’t a movie, and she was absolutely no victim. Nevertheless, she would be foolish not to heed the shrieking warning for self-preservation.
She modulated her breathing long enough to ignore the elegant finger hovering tantalisingly over her skin and the traitorous part of her that yearned to feel his touch once more.
Staunchly gathering her scattering composure she raised a brow. ‘Terrified? Of what, exactly? That a man who thinks he’s a god and therefore spreads himself about waiting to be adored and greedily laps up attention is trying out his weak charms on me? Keep living in that illusion,PrinceTeodor. Far be it for me to burst that giant ego of yours by reminding you that thereare hundreds—perhaps even thousands—of your kind littered between here and the French Riviera.’
His face shut down. His hand dropped away. But those ferocious eyes remained locked on hers. And…heaven help her, she couldn’t miss the glint of battle that lit his eyes for a furious instant, like a supernova ripping through a quiet galaxy, before he regained his composure.
She didn’t need a PowerPoint presentation to know she’d struck a very active nerve. And, yes, that in her haste to shore up her defences, she might have laid it on too thick.
And even when yet another sycophant huskily called his name and he ignored them and kept those molten silver eyes pinned on her, she knew deep in her bones that, in her haste, she may have won a small battle, but she’d succeeded in starting a war.
That the gleam in his eyes had been the equivalent of an alpha war cry she might need every inch of armour to live through.
Determined footsteps approached.
His name was trilled again. But still he watched her, a predator sizing up how best to deliver a kill strike.
‘It’s going to be truly delightful to watch that ice wall of yours melt,cariña. If for nothing else, for the chance to expose the hypocrisy that lies beneath the surface.Buenos noches.’
He shut the door and walked away, leaving that relentless quaking behind as he slipped so effortlessly into the crowd he commanded like everything else around him.
Sabeen told herself she was relieved. That it wasn’t mild nausea from trying to decipher what exactly he’d meant chasing her through a restless night and a bleary-eyed morning, when a courier arrived to reclaim the gorgeous gown for its return to Milan.
And no, she was most definitely not dwelling on Teo when she stepped off the plane in Morocco twenty-four hours later for what she hoped would be the beginning of the most important six weeks of her life to salvage her career.
There was only one thing that should be claiming his attention: perfecting his next collection.
Ensuring his father had no choice but to admit his worth.
Nothing else should be permitted precedence. And yet once again, he’d let his most primal emotions vanquish him.
What the hell had he been thinking throwing down that gauntlet to Sabeen? Especially when he knew that having done so, he would be unable to walk away.
He’d held himself rigid, refusing to look back. He’d gritted his teeth, forcing a charming smile as the socialite who’d helped herself to his left arm draped herself all over him. He’d stopped himself from snarling at her to remove herself. He had an image to project, after all.
An image that’d emboldened Sabeen into throwing around insults. He knew very well it was the reason he’d issued the challenge. She’d scored a bull’s-eye, and he couldn’t let her get away with it.
How many times has his mother called himuseless? Taunted him with his unimportance, ridiculed him for not even being the spare? Of course, it was entirely his fault that he’d hitched a ride in her womb when she thought herself pregnant with only one child, only to discover his existence on the birthing table. And from then on it seemed his only worth to his mother had been as a punchline and a verbal punchbag.
His belly clenched as his thoughts swung from one parent to the other. The former king for a time had striven to accept the son he didn’t really need, having two exceptional specimensready to carry on his legacy. But gradually, as Teo had watched his father and learned to build his armour more solidly around himself, he realised the truth.
He would always be the extra spare part no one wanted.
But had he tried too hard to appear invincible? Arguing instead of adopting Valenti’s stony silences that had seemed far more effective at catching his father’s attention? Being the first to shrug off an insult or a slight?
Dios, did it even matter now?
Because whatever he’d tried he’d remained third-best, pitied and disregarded at every turn. Now he was vilified for revelling in the lifestyle he’d chosen for himself. For the joy and decadence and, yes, sometimes debauched pleasure he squeezed out of every second of life.
